All Hands on Deck
by Christy W
Summary: Gibbs and his NCIS team get introduced to the realm of the supernatural when people connected to both the Navy and the Watchers start turning up dead.
1. Chapter 1

Title: All Hands on Deck  
Author: Christy  
Rating: FR 15  
Fandom/Theme: Angel/NCIS/Highlander  
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters featured here. They belong to their respective creators and production companies.  
Distribution: and TtH

Chapter: 1/5  
Series: FFA Madness #13; Alissa's Interests #10  
FFA Pairing: Cordelia Chase/LJ Gibbs  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Gibbs has a problem with Miss Chase  
Author's Note: Now that I have the time to type up the rest of this story, it's been shifted to its own now.

For the first time in a long time, Gibbs sat in observation and merely stared at the young female suspect they'd picked up outside Norfolk Naval Base, clothes torn, bruised and bloodied. Abby had already told him that none of the blood on her was hers, but other than finding evidence of a bit of a fight in the brush she'd wandered out of, there wasn't much of a case. But his gut told him there was one- a big one. He turned as the door opened and speared Tony with a look.

"Hey, boss. Well, Miss Cordelia Chase is based out of LA. She flew into BWI at ten this morning. She spent most of that morning at the offices of the MacKenzie Conglomerate, having lunch with the lovely CEO of said company, a Mrs Alissa MacKenzie, before heading to her hotel in Adams Morgan. She had dinner at Sir Walter Raleigh's in Laurel and then drove down to Norfolk to meet a friend of hers stationed there, a Commander Watkins. She told me that she'd gone to a couple of local bars after she found the Commander was out of town unexpectedly and woke up on the side of the road just before we found her," DiNozzo recited from his notes. "Being that it's three in the morning, local time, I figured we'd wait until later in the morning to talk to Mrs. MacKenzie as well as Mrs. Chase's boss in LA."

Gibbs just raised a brow without saying a word. Working with him for ten years had DiNozzo cluing in to that in moments. "Find out who she works for; on it, boss." and was gone again. Jethro resumed his staring for a moment before his cell buzzed with a text from Abby that she had something for him.

*****

Alissa had just fortified her first cup of the day with a healthy dose of Jameson- a way to recover from the amount of sake drunk with her Japanese contacts the night before. "Mrs. MacKenzie, NCIS agents here to see you," her secretary announced. Sighing and rubbing the bridge of her nose in irritation, she told Samantha to send them back. She stood up as the two agents came in; a woman with a Middle Eastern complexion and a man who, she could tell from his grin, was another modern day Jack Sparrow- flirts with anything that moves to hide the sharp mind underneath. They introduced themselves as Agents David and DiNozzo, respectively.

"So what can I do for the Navy today?" she asked, sitting back behind her desk and motioning them to seats as well.

"Well, Ma'am," Tony started, whipping out a small notebook, "we found a Cordelia Chase along the road to Norfolk early this morning."

"Oh Lord and Lady, is she okay?" Alissa asked.

"Yes ma'am, she's being taken care of by NCIS staff right now. Um, she said she'd gone to lunch with you yesterday. Where did you two eat at?"

"Yes, we ate at Taste of China off of Connecticut. She's an old friend of mine and I invited her to lunch while she was in town, since I had a business dinner to attend with some of the people from Samsung," she explained calmly while making notes on a pad off her right hand side.

The two agents exchanged a glance as Tony continued his questioning. "And do you know why she went down to Norfolk last night?"

Alissa shrugged. "Only that she said she had some people she had meetings with down there."

Tony murmured a thanks for her time and promised they'd be in touch.

*****

"Didja see that back there?" Tony asked excitedly once they were in the car heading back to the Naval Yard.

"What was I supposed to see?" Ziva asked, a slight grin on her face indication to her partner that she was merely teasing him.

"Yeah, Ziva you so didn't see the fact that she wasn't that surprised to know Miss Chase had gotten hurt out in Norfolk. Besides, if her main issue was the meeting with Commander Watkins, why not just fly into Norfolk directly?"

"I don't know why she wouldn't, but I'm sure after McGee gets back from talking to the Commander, we should."

*****

Cordelia had sat there patiently while Gibbs's team checked everything out. She didn't really mind- she knew from working with Angel for so long that stuff like this took time. The only, or maybe the main reason she hadn't lawyered up yet was that she didn't want to escalate things. As it stood right now, they knew her only as a victim of some random bad guy. Besides which, it wasn't HER fault the damn vamp hadn't wanted to talk to her about the tip that Ethan Rayne was somewhere in the area, which is why Angel had sent her towards Norfolk. Even though she knew her Immortal healing would take care of most of the aches and pains, she wasn't one that was old enough to heal as fast as people like Alissa and Adam. She looked up as the grey haired agent came back into the room, mouth firm and unsmiling.

"Ms. Chase, you said you went to go see Commander Watkins yesterday. What issue would that be in regards to?" was his opening volley.

"The law firm my husband runs out in LA had received information that a man who owed us a lot of money might be living and working in the Norfolk area, so I flew down. I flew into Thurgood Marshall instead of Norfolk because Mrs. MacKenzie is a good friend of both mine and my husband and I don't get to see her as much as I would like, since most of her business tends to keep her on the East Coast lately. Commander Watkins had indicated in our previous phone conversation that Ethan Rayne tended to frequent a few local bars, and he was supposed to come with me to show me which ones. When I found out he'd been called away unexpectedly, I decided to try scouting them out on my own. I was working my way through them when some guy at one of them thought I looked yummy and decided to try and take me home, whether I wanted to or not," she finished succinctly.

"And yet we found no one else in the field," Gibbs countered.

"Hey, wouldn't _YOU_ run if a gal ran away from you screaming bloody murder?" she replied.

Gibbs nodded noncommittally. "Granted. We'll let you get back to your hotel, Mrs. Chase, but try and stay in the area for a bit. We might have some more questions for you later."


	2. Chapter 2

Title: All Hands on Deck  
Author: Christy  
Rating: FR 15  
Fandom/Theme: Angel/NCIS/Highlander  
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters featured here. They belong to their respective creators and production companies.  
Distribution: and TtH  
Chapter: 2/5  
Series: Alissa's Interests #10  
FFA Pairing: Cordelia Chase/LJ Gibbs  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Gibbs doesn't like cases that don't make sense.  
Author's Note: While Cmdr Watkins IS a real person, he does NOT have anything to do with NNB...he just has the misfortune of being related to me SMH

Gibbs marched back into the bullpen after escorting Mrs. Chase to the gate and pinned McGee with a Look.  
"Uh, as expected, Commander Watkins confirmed what Mrs. Chase told us. He further noted that she had first called to ask him about Ethan Rayne only a couple weeks previous."  
Jethro raised an eyebrow and was about to ask what they had on Rayne when Director Vance called for Gibbs from the balcony. Sighing, but having the training not to show his impatience, he headed up and marched right into Leon's office.  
"How can I help you, Leon?"  
Vance took his glasses off and laid them on the folder in from of him. "Why do you have your team investigating a civilian assault?"  
"Because my gut is telling me this is WAY more than just a simple civilian assault, and that it has something to do with Norfolk Naval Base."  
"Be that as it may, Jethro, until the Navy is involved, kick it to Norfolk PD," Leon ordered. "IN the meantime, I just got word we have the body of a lieutenant found in an alley out in Georgetown. Why don't you take your team to go look into that instead?"

* * *

"Gibbs seem a little pissed about getting this case to you?" Tony commented out of the side of his mouth to Ziva as they all headed down the alley towards the body.  
"Yes, but I do believe the Director wouldn't stop him on the other case if this wasn't important," Ziva responded then took one look at the ravaged body and cursed vehemently in Hebrew.  
"That bad?" Tim asked, looking up at her from his knelt position by the body for photos.  
"Yes, yes, that bad McGee," she responded, but Tony saw her pale hands shaking when she went to get her own camera.

* * *

"_Abba_, it is good to hear your voice," Ziva commented, curling her legs under her as she smiled.  
"What can I do for you, Ziva? It is not common for you to call me when it is this late for you."  
She sighed. "I believe one of the Council forces was ambushed last night while out patrolling. I know your connections to ask permission are much better than mine."  
Eli smirked. "What kind of permissions, Ziva?"  
"I believe I may need to explain to Agent Gibbs about it. I am sure Agent DiNozzo has already seen it- the vampire attack tonight did not seem to scare him," she informed her father.  
David sighed. "I will talk to people I know and reply back in a day or two. _Shalom_, Ziva."  
"_Shalom_, father," she replied, then sat in her apartment for a moment longer, lost in thought, before getting up, dressing again and heading out.

* * *

"What do we have?" Gibbs demanded the next morning.  
"Janet Klein, 24. Her parents were both career Naval Officers, a Cpt Paul Klein and his wife JAG LT Megan Klein. They moved around a bit because of his work as a Naval Engineer and then sent their daughter to boarding school for the last few years of schooling- Jenny Calendar School for Gifted Girls in Cleveland. After graduating with honors from the Naval Academy, she was stationed on the USS Carl Vinson and more recently the USS Enterprise. After the latter was decommissioned, she was reassigned stateside at- wait for it- Norfolk Naval Base, where she's been for the past year and a half," Tony summarized.  
McGee rolled his eyes. "I'm sure plenty of people work at Norfolk. It's not a coincidence."  
"Yeah, McGeek, but when your direct commanding officer is Commander Watkins, it becomes a little less so," DiNozzo retorted.

"Until we know it's not a coincidence, we treat it as one," Gibbs ordered curtly. "Right now, go back to Norfolk- explain to the commander that this is a separate incident and get his take on the Lieutenant. McGee, look more into her background- old boyfriends, neighbors, issues, the whole thing. Ziva, I want to know what she was doing in Georgetown, in civvies, at two in the morning."

Before Gibbs could leave, Tony raised his hand. "Uh, Boss, wouldn't that contradict Rule 39?" At his glare as Gibbs headed over to the elevator, and the morgue, Tony nodded. "Ah, sarcastic treating. Got it, Boss."

* * *

"Whatya got, Duck?" Gibbs demanded and was a little surprised when Ducky jumped and whirled around, slamming a drawer closed hurriedly.  
Eyes narrowed, Jethro headed toward the body, dismissing the ME's quirks in favor of the mystery of the dead Lieutenant.  
"Well, Jethro, as best as I can tell, due to the multiple perimortem scratches and cuts, the lieutenant bled to death," Dr. Mallard told him as he lifted and tilted the head to the side. "There is this older bump on the back of her head, as if, in the fight, the assailant rammed her head hard against the wall," he continued.  
"Fight? What fight?" Gibbs demanded.  
"Ah, the one she was in near the alley. Mr. Palmer has sent exemplars from the scene to Abigail, but I feel confident the fractures and cuts were all sustained in at alleyway. There was also the matter of-"  
"Thanks, Duck. Let me know if there's anything else you find," Gibbs said, heading back upstairs.  
Dr. Mallard walked back over to his desk and opened the drawer to stare down at the stakes he'd not entered into evidence. _Anything else, Jethro? Such as a dead Slayer in your morgue without her eyes?_

* * *

Commander Kevin Watkins raised an amused brow when DiNozzo sat down across from his desk that afternoon. "I find it hard to believe NCIS needs to talk to me again so soon. While I'm sorry about what happened to Mrs. Chase-"  
Tony smiled. "Well, as I actually told your secretary, this is actually about another incident, not a followup on the assault. How well did you know Lieutenant Janet Klein?"  
The commander sat there for a moment, as if composing himself, before answering. "Did? As in she's the body they found in Georgetown?"  
"Yes, that's correct," Tony replied simply.  
Watkins sighed heavily, then began telling Tony a story of a dedicated Naval officer- hard working , diligent and always ready to help. DiNozzo made notes about a woman passionate about both her job and the Navy.  
"And do you have any knowledge why the lieutenant would be out in Georgetown at that time of night?"  
Watkins shrugged. "She had the weekend off and I've heard her mention some friends that lived up that way a few times. However, I do have another appointment that I need to get to now."  
Tony smiled again as they both stood. "Of course; I understand. Thank you for your help, Commander."  
"My pleasure," Kevin told him as he walked the agent out and headed towards his own vehicle. Once inside, he punched a phone number into his dash phone before heading off base.  
"Pentagon. Sergeant Finn's office."  
"Commander Watkins for Sergeant Finn, please," Watkins requested.  
"One moment, Commander," Finn's secretary replied. There was a click, then Riley's voice on the phone.  
"Kev- what can I do for you?"  
"Is this IWC secure?" Watkins asked as he took the next left towards the IWC Norfolk offices.  
Finn shook his head at his old friend. "Yes, as secure as Willow could make it. What's up?"  
"Well, NCIS hasn't connected Cordelia's assault to the dead lieutenant they found in DC yet, but you still might want to let the interested parties know that, whatever Rayne's done since, whomever he's working for has apparently started targeting Slayers to keep people from getting to him."  
Riley frowned. "I'll be sure to let them know. So, until that Ensign is seasoned enough to take over Klein's role, I'll pass on to the local Watchers that you might need some help by the Yard."  
"Thanks for what help you can do, buddy."


	3. Chapter 3

Title: All Hands on Deck  
Author: Christy  
Rating: FR 15  
Fandom/Theme: Angel/NCIS/Highlander  
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters featured here. They belong to their respective creators and production companies.  
Distribution: and TtH  
Chapter: 3/5  
Series: Alissa's Interests #10  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Gibbs doesn't like cases that don't make sense.

Gibbs paced back and forth in front of the team's desks, already on his third coffee of the day. Tony had called, saying he was heading back from Norfolk, but knew with DC rush hour traffic, the usual 3 hour drive would take four hours or more.  
"McGee?" he shot out, the agent's head popping up from looking at his screen.  
"Uh, yeah, boss. Not finding a lot going on here. Most of her personal calls were to family, a few friends, her superiors and, uh, a lot to her alma mater."  
Gibbs could see the confusion on Tim's face and grinned. He had an idea where all this might be going, but he wanted McGee to either work it out himself, or, if such was the case, lead the investigation off in another direction. "Lots of people have close ties to school, especially if it's a boarding school," he reminded the younger man, sitting down and watching McGee jump up and pace himself, trying to put the pieces together in his mind.  
"Phone calls, yeah, but when you regularly travel there on leave and most of your non-military friends are ALL alumnae of your high school, isn't that a little odd, Boss? She habitually calls either the school or someone that works at a company in Norfolk called IWC, Limited twice a week when she's stateside, until last week."  
"What happened last week?" Gibbs pushed, leaning forward and lacing his fingers together as he stared intently at the other agent, a slight frown on his face.  
Tim clicked and brought up the electronic copy of the lieutenant's phone records on screen. "About ten days ago, she called a private number in Georgetown- we're still working on whose number it is. Instead of the timing for her calls to the Academy or IWC, the same times coincide with calls made to this private number. An incoming private call made to her the evening she died pinged off a tower in Georgetown as well, but that's all we've got on that so far. Other than that, no bad issues at home or work, as far as we can see."  
Gibbs made a frustrated noise in the back of his throat as Ziva headed back into the bullpen, a rather large grin on her face.  
"Gibbs, it looks like your gut may have been right," were the first words out of her mouth, causing Gibbs to perk up and McGee to stop pacing.  
"Mrs. Chase was in Georgetown?" Tim asked.  
"No, but Mrs. MacKenzie IS, but I'm not sure if she attacked both women directly or had someone else paid to do it."  
"But, what's the connection to both women besides MacKenzie herself?" McGee asked, confused, as Ziva typed away at her computer for a moment before putting the results up on the electronic board.  
"Because both victims made sizable monthly donations to Klein's alma mater."

* * *

"She looks pretty calm for someone brought in for questioning on assault and murder," Tony commented to Ziva in Observation after Mrs. MacKenzie had been brought in the next day.  
Ziva merely shrugged. "This is not the first time she has been in an interrogation room," she stated. "That and she is a licensed attorney for the Washington area, as well as most of the East Coast, apparently."  
Tony started to ask why when Gibbs walked into the other room. "Mrs. MacKenzie, do you know why you're here?" he asked.  
"Something to do with Cordelia's assault case, I would assume?"  
"Actually, ma'am, we're asking you about both that case and one of a Navy lieutenant found dead not two blocks from your home," Gibbs informed her firmly.  
Alissa frowned and shook her head. "I don't understand what one has to do with the other."  
Jethro pulled a photo out of the folder and slid it over to her side of the table. " Security footage pulled from a nearby bar shows you and Lieutenant Janet Klein talking together on the night she died for about two hours. And then, there's the bank statements," he continued, pulling them out and laying them side by side in front of her. "Both the lieutenant and Mrs. Chase made consistent payments to Jenny Calendar's School for Gifted Girls. What are you doing? Going after wealthy benefactors because your company might be in trouble? Hell, you and Mrs. Chase are already friends- is this some sort of blackmail scheme connecting you and the school?"  
Alissa smirked and shook her head in disbelief. "Nice try, Agent Gibbs, but if you'd had enough for a warrant on **MY** financials, you would find that I, too, make regular donations to the same school, so your idea that I'm a killer is wholly without merit." She looked questioningly at him now, finger to her lips in thought. "I do have a theory about these two cases, however, Agent Gibbs. They are both related, and I would think that maybe, if you're really looking for connections, instead of wild theories, I would look more closely at the school."  
Jethro gritted his teeth and resisted the urge to growl at her. "Why do I have the feeling you know more than you're telling me?"  
MacKenzie shrugged, an elegant tilt of one shoulder. "My reply to that would be that I don't have the clearance to tell you more. And, since you appear to have no more questions for me right now, I bid you good day, Agent Gibbs."

* * *

All it took was one look at Gibbs's frustration for all three agents to merely trail along behind him like so many ducklings until they were back in the bullpen.  
"It is starting to look like we have too much connecting these two cases now for the Director to ignore authorizing us taking Mrs. Chase's assault case back from Norfolk PD. While I go talk to Director Vance about it, I want you three back looking at that Ethan Rayne Mrs. Chase mentioned, subpoena Mrs. MacKenzie's phone and financials and someone find out what the fuck this damn school is about!" he demanded and they all scrambled.  
Tony waited until Gibbs was safely in Vance's office before risking a glance at the other two agents. "Anybody wanna tell him we never stopped the search on Rayne?"  
Both shook their heads, and got back down to the meticulous headache that was research.

* * *

"Gibbs, the judge said the subpoena would take a few hours, but here's what we know so far about Ethan Rayne. He's a British national, but also a naturalized citizen here, about ten years back or so. A bit of a conman, from what little the British would tell us. They did indicate a sealed investigation from his college years, but backtracking some of his movements during that time, my guess is there was a murder and one or more of the other people involved had high connections. After coming to the States, he seemed to wander through California a lot before getting arrested for trespassing on an Army base located in Sunnydale, California and being sentenced to Levenworth, for some reason. I am unable to find out said reason because a couple years ago, his conviction was overturned and his entire casefile wiped," Tony explained once Gibbs returned, smirking at his boss's raised brow. "Yeah, thought it was weird for a casefile to be wiped, too, but my JAG buddies had jack on the case too."  
"Uh, guys, what about the fact there was a little known Army base in a town that's now a crater? Why wouldn't the military help with evac, if that was the case anyway?" McGee asked, while typing away at something else simultaneously.  
"Because the base was closed three years before the town collapsed," Tony told him. "And the only one from that unit I could get to even _schedule_ a time to talk to is a Sergeant Riley Finn, currently assigned to the Pentagon."  
"Well, get him down here ASAP. I want to know what Rayne did to get a civilian sent to Leavenworth. McGee, what do you have on the school?"  
McGee tapped on his computer for a moment, bringing up pictures of a blonde and a redhead woman. "Buffy Summers and Willow Rosenberg," he indicated. "They co-founded the Academy with help from a Rupert Giles, another person of dual British and American citizenship. The school has only been around since 2005, but most of its graduates seem to go to mostly military or computer science concentrations, with some of the others going into defense training, such as karate or tang soo do. Not only that, but I looked into the founders- basic search and such- and guess where they both lived before founding the school?"  
"Sunnydale," Ziva blurted out. "So, we have a school with connections to Sunnydale, an assault victim who also grew up there and a CEO of a major corporation who seems to have lived there around the same time, at least from her website. So what is so important about this Sunnydale?"  
"I would love to try and help answer some of that, if I can. Agent Gibbs, is it?" a voice asked from behind the group.  
The agents as a whole turned to regard the Army Sergeant in front of them. "So, what's the catch?" Tony asked skeptically, which was rewarded when Finn nodded.  
"A nondisclosure agreement, signed by all of you, or I have clearance to take both cases away and to my superiors if you don't," Riley explained.  
Jethro narrowed his eyes before leading the way back to one of the interrogation rooms. Closing the door once McGee got through, Gibbs glared at the sergeant. "An NDA? One murder and an assault connect to something of national security?"  
"INTERNATIONAL security, actually, but, then again, you've made cases against Big Bads with a lot less. Either way, sir, if you don't sign these agreements, like I said, I have authorization to reassign this case." Jethro mulled it over for a moment before pulling his glasses out and motioning for a copy.  
"Read through these, but please leave your questions until after you've signed," Riley instructed as he handed out copies to the other three. After they'd all signed, Riley sat down and braced for the onslaught of questions. The first came from DiNozzo.  
"Why does it say all AND Abby? Why not Doctor Mallard? Do we have to keep him in the dark about whatever this refers to?"  
Finn smiled. "Because he used to belong to the parent organization of the IWC- the International Watchers Council. The Watchers are trained to aid and instruct the Slayer in her sacred duty. Ducky was a part of this at one time, so he didn't need one."  
"What's a Slayer and what does she have to do with our cases?" Gibbs demanded.  
Riley was about to respond, but Ziva beat him to it. "A sacred warrior- everyone at Mossad is trained to both recognize and assist he whenever necessary, though that has become problematic in recent years- there are false reports coming to me of multiple Slayers being spotted," she grumbled as Riley chuckled.  
"No, actually, Agent David, one of the last Slayer's friends, the Willow Rosenberg you're looking into, is a witch powerful enough to activate ALL the Potential Slayers at once, hence the multiple sightings."  
Gibbs leveled his gaze at Finn. "And what, exactly, does this Slayer do?"  
Before he could get an answer, there was a knock on the door and Tony went to answer it. "Uh, Agent Gibbs, sir? This came for you, and, uh- Security didn't like it, but the delivery guy said his instructions were to bring the package straight to you," the scared ensign explained and everyone instinctively backed up.  
Gibbs edged toward the man holding the small box. "Uh, son, did they check it-"  
"For explosives? Yes, sir, and scanned it too, but it's lead lined."  
Jethro sighed and, taking gloves from McGee when he handed them and slowly opening the box, glancing in and swiftly closing it. Shoving it into the ensign's startled hands, he barked "Get this to Doctor Mallard- STAT!"  
As the seaman hurried off, the team turned to Gibbs. "What was it?" Tony asked.  
Jethro sighed, stripped the gloves off and sat down. "It was a pair of eyes- my guess is the late lieutenant's- with a note that said 'For the Queen'."  
"Any idea what that meant, Sergeant Finn?" Ziva demanded and Riley sighed.  
"Not right now, but I'll ask around. As it is, I need to get back to the Pentagon. If you have any other questions right now, call me on my office line. Good day, agents."


	4. Chapter 4

Title: All Hands on Deck  
Author: Christy  
Rating: FR 15  
Fandom/Theme: Angel/NCIS/Highlander  
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters featured here. They belong to their respective creators and production companies.  
Distribution: and TtH  
Chapter: 4/5  
Series: Alissa's Interests #10  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Gibbs doesn't like cases that don't make sense.

Gibbs paced while Abby typed the eyes and compared them to the sample Ducky had given her from the victim.  
"Gibbs, relax. Mr. Mass Spec'll have it for ya in a jiffy. By the way, what's with the non-disclosure doc I had brought down to me that DiNozzo said I had to sign?"  
Jethro stopped his pacing, rubbed his forehead and sighed. "Because this case is far bigger than I originally thought, Abs."  
Abby stopped in her tracks to stare at him as the Mass Spectrometer spat out data behind her. "Oh" she said simply, then jumped when the machine beeped. Staring at the results, her shoulders dropped. "It's confirmed- these are the eyes of the victim. Geez, Gibbs, who would do that post-mortem?"  
"I don't know, Abby, but you'll find out when I do," he told her as he kissed her forehead and headed back upstairs.

* * *

"So, uh, boss, while you were getting the results from Abby, we called Watkins again and, after confirming our being read in, he told us the lieutenant was assigned to Norfolk because of a recent influx in- get this- vampires," Tony told him once Gibbs showed up in the morgue. Ducky had suggested it, since borrowing conference room rather than staying in the bullpen where everyone could overhear would raise too many suspicions.  
"Relax, Anthony- the Slayers are here to keep us from having to fight the vampires ourselves. As I explained, most of the things you thought were just myths are truly reality. Why, I remember a time back in my youth when-"  
"So, Duck, you knew about her being a Slayer?" Gibbs asked, interrupting him.  
Doctor Mallard merely walked over to his desk, pulled out one of the drawers and withdrew three sharpened pieces of wood. "When you find stakes hidden everywhere on a body before autopsy, chances are the girl was a Slayer, Jethro. And I wasn't allowed to tell you about the Watchers, the Slayer, OR the Academy until you were cleared," he continued.  
"So, what is this Jenny Calendar Academy?" Ziva asked. "A Watcher facility?"  
"Close, Agent David. The School for Gifted Girls, named after a late friend of the founders, is where the Watchers train and educate the Slayers that are Called while still underage and being found all over the world as we speak. It's rather perfect, really: a boarding school comprised of hundreds of special girls no longer subject to the Draconian methods of the Old Council," Ducky told them, a touch of bitterness in his voice at the end.  
"But how does this school connect to the assault? I see how it might connect to the lieutenant-" Tony began, then watch a grin spread over Gibbs's face.  
"We get them all together and ask them."

* * *

The next day found Cordelia Chase, Commander Watkins, McGee, Gibbs, Tony and Ziva all in one conference room.  
"So, would you two like to revise your statements, in light of recent information?" Gibbs asked them coolly.  
"Everything I've told you, including the lieutenant being assigned to Norfolk to help with the recent uptick in turned vampires, is true. As to where she might have went during her weekend off, she didn't tell me," Watkins stated.  
"The phone calls twice a week to the Academy or IWC Limited?" Tony asked next.  
"Those were her check-ins, letting the Council know of her progress," the Commander explained.  
"And your assault, Mrs. Chase?" Gibbs asked, turning to her.  
"I'd let myself get rusty when it came to patrolling, like I used to do when I was in high school with Buffy and Willow. I _was_ in town to try and find out where Ethan might be, but, as I said, Commander Watkins had been detained."  
Ziva glanced down at her notes. "The British national who somehow found himself at Leavenworth?" she asked, a skeptic note clear in her voice.  
Cordelia winced. "From what Buffy and the rest of the Scooby Gang told me and Angel, Ethan had Giles, who was the librarian as a cover for being Buffy's Watcher, turned into a Fyarl demon for the Initiative to study. It didn't work and Giles forced his old 'friend' to change him back, and the Army promised to keep Ethan locked up."  
"The Initiative?" Gibbs queried.  
"Uh, the Demon Research Initiative, Agent Gibbs," Watkins put in. "They were a little known section of the U.S. Army dating back to at least around World War II, if not earlier. They had a secret base built on the campus of Sunnydale University, but it ended up being demolished and filled in when the head researcher went a little-"  
"Meglomanical?" Cordelia supplied with a smirk. "Anyways, Ethan's sentence got overturned, but Riley, er Sergeant Finn, never let anyone in the Scooby Gang know about it, like he'd promised to. It wasn't until a, uh, friend of a friend got caught up in a FBI sting that we even knew he was out, but we couldn't find him. Then I got intel recently that he had been seen in the Norfolk area and tried to beat some information out of a couple of vamps, but they kinda got the best of me for a little bit, as you saw."  
"Any clues where Rayne might be now?" Tony asked.  
"No, none. But, I have a hunch this murder had soemthing to do with why he's in town," Cordelia supposed.  
"Well, thank you for your cooperation. We'll let you know if we need anything else from you," Gibbs told them as they all stood to leave.

* * *

It had been four days since the arrival of the eyes and, other than that delivery, the team felt no closer to finding out who had killed her or why. They got an unexpected break, however, when the front gate called to notify them that a stricken Alissa MacKenzie was asking for them. Leading her into an interview room, Gibbs gave her a bottle of water and some tissues. "How can I help you, Mrs. MacKenzie?" he asked gently.  
"I think there's been another murder that relates to the case you'd asked me about last week," she told him simply.  
"With all due respect, counselor, if there was a similar murder to that of the lieutenant, the investigators would have notified me," he told her.  
"Not if it's a civilian," she told him firmly.  
"Why don't you explain some more about why you're certain of this," he urged her as he pulled out a pad.  
"My assistant, Samantha, was out running errands for me a couple days ago, but never came back with the blood work Dr Brennan had for me. Then, when I called Temperance, she told me Sam had never arrived. Long story short- they found her body five blocks from her apartment, her throat slit and signs of a struggle present, according to the police. I was willing to chalk it up to just another senseless murder in the Nation's Capital, but this was waiting for me when I came to work this morning," she explained, pulling a small box out of her bag and handing it to him.  
The fact she wore unseasonably warm gloves started to make more sense to Gibbs now. "What's inside?" he asked.  
"I'd rather not influence your observations, Agent Gibbs," she told him as he opened the box to find a severed tongue and a note that read 'For the Witch'.  
Flipping open his phone, he speed dialed Tony and asked him to get whatever information there was on the murder of a Samantha Cooke. Turning back to Alissa, he asked "And other than this, why do you believe the murders are connected? I assume you already called the coroner's office in your friend's case to confirm, but what's the connection?"  
"Because she's another Slayer and, much like the late lieutenant was a blonde like Buffy, the Queen Slayer, Samantha was a redhead like Willow, the Witch. Someone wants the Slayers afraid and I'd really appreciate your agents finding out why."


	5. Chapter 5

Title: All Hands on Deck  
Author: Christy  
Rating: FR 15  
Fandom/Theme: Angel/NCIS/Highlander  
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters featured here. They belong to their respective creators and production companies.  
Distribution: and TtH  
Chapter: 5/5  
Series: Alissa's Interests #10  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Gibbs doesn't like cases that don't make sense.

Gibbs frowned at her, noting she was calmer now that she'd relayed her story. Scratching the side of his head, he asked "So, how do you fit into all of this? And how did you know your assistant and the other dead woman were Slayers? From knowing Ms. Summers and Ms. Rosenburg in Sunnydale?"

Alissa smirked. "Something like that- I was in Sunnydale already when Buffy arrived and when I noticed the vampire population start to decrease noticeably, I knew a Slayer had to have come to town. I've helped the Scooby Gang, as they called themselves, over the years, even to the point of being a silent partner in their Slayer Academy. The activated Slayers need training, and Ms. Nichols was one who, once she graduated, wanted to do more than the usual patrols."

"So, who told you about the other package?" Gibbs demanded, hating how civilians kept popping into his case.

"Riley told the heads of the new Council after he left his meeting with your team- Buffy, Willow, Xander, Rupert, and then myself, Cordelia and her husband, since we all knew or worked with Lieutenant Klein at one time. I understand this is not proper protocol, but this was a friend, and none of us knew if forensics would be a better course than what magic might be able to do. At the time, Agent Gibbs, we believed the lieutenant's death to be an isolated incident," she explained.

"But, now we know it's not," Gibbs replied with a frown as the door opened and Tony came in with a folder. Handing it over, he went to leave, but Jethro motioned him to sit down.

"Mrs. MacKenzie here was telling me about how someone murdered her assistant the other day- another Slayer- and sent her a souvenir," the other agent explained drily, then outlined what he'd learned so far.

"Not only that, but I have a sinking suspicion another Slayer will die in a couple more days," Alissa put in, wringing her hands a bit. "These things like to come in threes for some reason."

"So, whatta ya think, Boss? Think she knows more than she's tellin' us?" Tony asked as they headed back to the bullpen.

Gibbs pondered that for a moment. "No, I think she's going with the good instincts she has that make her both a good CEO and lawyer from what gossip I've heard about her," he said as he glanced up at the rest of the team, a frown on his face.

"By this time tomorrow, I want an in depth search done on Mrs. Chase, Mrs. MacKenzie, Miss Summers, Miss Rosenberg and our two British ex-pats. Since they were so kind as to open the door for us, ask Staff Sergeant Finn for whatever he'll give us as well. Now, get to it!" he demanded.

Cordelia curled up in an armchair in the living room, a cup of coffee, liberally laced with brandy, clad in a comfortable sage colored chenille sweater over jeans, and sat back and watched Alissa pace. The video conference onscreen was split to show both the Cleveland house and the London Watcher's office. Rupert sat across from the seer, enjoying the Oolong Alissa had served him while listening to Buffy and Willow both arguing about the best course of action of the rest of the Slayers. He watched Dawn on her side of the screen roll her eyes and shake her head at the two supposedly older women as they continued.

"Just then, a piercing whistle cut through the air and everyone turned to look at Cordelia, as she stood and walked closer to the screen. "Okay, now that I have everyone's attention again...there's no need to risk both of you coming to Virginia when this seems to me to be exactly what the killer wants. I know it's hard seeing those you've trained die like this, but we HAVE to look at the bigger picture here. One, we know Ethan got the information about Duncan **somehow** and also managed to find a way to get into the DC Slayer house. Now we think he holed up in Virginia somewhere at some point the past few months or so, and as soon as I start pushing as to where, we have a killer taunting the head founders, the latter murder being someone connected to both Alissa and Willow," she summarized.

"So, who's next, then? We're supposed to warn all 20 DC area Slayers to- what? Just be careful?" Buffy demanded, putting the last words in air quotes, her frustration clear.

Giles sighed and set his cup down on the table in front of him before locking eyes with "his" Slayer. "My dear girl, we first need to know why. I find it hard to believe they; whomever THEY are, would go to all this trouble just to keep us from finding one two bit chaos mage. I would reason that, given how good this NCIS team appears to be, if this is just a distraction gambit, the group would soon tire of Ethan and deliver him gift wrapped, if possible, just to keep the hounds at bay."

Dawn grew serious and leaned towards the screen as if to convey the seriousness of her next words. "My question, though, is why kill Slayers in the first place? I mean, that IS one of the other big questions we're wondering about, right? I mean, seriously. Buffy, maybe I shouldn't come back stateside to help run the NYC branch next month."

"Don't worry, Dawnie- I made sure the New York group is secure," Willow reassured her and Dawn nodded hesitantly.

"I know you will, but something about all this still makes me worry."

"Here's an idea," Cordelia interjected. "Maybe, aftrer NCIS grabs him, we ask nicely if we can get a chance to question him about where he's been and who he's been working with. Willow does her witchy mojo and then we might know a little more about what's going on here."

Alissa turned and grinned at her idea, but then it faded when her phone rang. "MacKenzie. Hello, Agent DiNozzo. What can I do for you?" She glanced up at the group as she listened to Tony with half an ear, her face going grave. "Meet you at the Navy Yard? Certainly, and yes, I can bring Dr. Giles with me as well. We'll be there as soon as possible," she told him before hanging up.

Turning to the group, both present and electronic, she said "Sorry to cut the powwow short, but mine and Rupert's presence is requested at the Yard just now."

Giles turned and grabbed his jacket from its place draped over the couch arm. "Ladies, good luck," he advised and headed out after the Immortal.

The car was waved through at the visitors' gate after both had shown IDs and the MPs guided them past a lab and cordoned off area to the building she'd met Gibbs at the day before. But, instead of being lead to a conference room, Agent DiNozzo escorted them both down to the morgue.

"Rupert, so sorry to see you again in such circumstances," Donald Mallard told him as he led the two civilians over to where Gibbs stood at parade rest beside a sheet draped body.

Ducky pulled the sheet down to just below the chin, showing Ethan Rayne's face, cold in death. Alissa watched Rupert's shoulders droop and his head bow on a heavy sigh. "He was my friend once, b ut he didn't deserve to die with his throat slit," he told Ducky.

Gibbs' eyes narrowed. "How do you know that's how he died?" he demanded softly.

Giles looked up at Jethro, his eyes grim. "Because coroners generally pull the sheet down to the shoulders, unless the injuries and possible cause of death are neck up. That, and I can also detect blood trace seeping through the drape," he told the other man simply. "But, as to your initial reason for bringing us down here, yes, this is Ethan Rayne. I assume that was why Alissa dragged me along."

"Yes, that, and this note was found in plastic where his heart had been," Gibbs told them, showing a note enclosed in an evidence bag.

Alissa leaned over Rupert's shoulder to read: "For the Watcher- He served his purpose, now I serve mine."

She narrowed her eyes and glanced up at the other two men. "Any prints or trace found on the body?" she asked, lawyer mindset coming to the fore.

Ducky shook his head. "I would say the killer washed him, but I can't find any evidence of it, other than the lack of evidence on the body."

"There _are_ magical means to cleanse a body that would leave no trace, but if you don't scan for it within a limited time window, it won't yield any results," the good doctor pointed out, and Gibbs rolled his eyes good naturedly.

"I think we'll leave the magical side of the investigating to them, Duck, and stick with science here," Gibbs quipped as the other two headed out.

Alissa turned to Giles once they were back in the car. "Did you sense what I did?" she asked softly.

"You mean the mild scent of the stench of the First wafting off of that note? Yes, I did, which means that Caleb's prophecy that he told Faith about that damn priest's twin is gaining more and more weight. It would seem the twin shares their brother's desire for murder when it comes to Slayers and Potentials. By the by, have your contacts had any more luck than ours in figuring out who this twin might be?"

Silence filled the car, headlamps illuminating the interior momentarily from time to time as the Immortal mulled over what, if anything, to reveal. She knew she needed Dawn in New York City to help, since the Key was more leveled headed than her sister most times, and she also didn't want Rupert going Ripper on her either, at least not right now.

"I have a couple of promising leads, but I'll have to be in New York for an extended period of time while I check them out."

"Oh, that's good. Dawn could always use more help!" he exclaimed cheerfully.

_Yeah, and I hope you still feel that way if my hunch about the twin turns out to be correct,_ she thought as she pointed the car back to Georgetown.


End file.
